http://cgi.ebay.com.au/1954-VW-BEETLE-IMPORTED-FROM-GERMANY-30Hp-DELUXE_W0QQi...

link didn't work for me?

works here

hmmm not on my iphone.. big mac here I come

I'm looking at that header & thinking.........whats happened to DAVE, or, what has he done now LOL

How can it be a full German import if it's got an MKA number?

Martin and King Australia assembled Complete Knocked Down kits, I've never heard of them being involved in direct imports.

Unless they imported one or two for quality control purposes when they first started assembling kits?



Regards,

Matt.

as per above

Yes the first VWs were imported into Australia (by Regent Motors Melbourne) in October 1953, as fully built-up cars. They were sold only in Victoria. The first NSW sales were in April 1954 after their first public showing at the Royal Easter Show. They were still fully imported, complete cars.

The first CKD assembly by Martin & King did not begin until June 1954, and it would have taken a few months to spool up. Only 1,746 VW sedans were sold in Australia in 1954.

Phil,

How do you know so much, its frightening.

Kev

You find lots of interesting VW stuff in old newspapers from the '50s and '60s. Bankstown Library has the SMH on microfiche - the Easter Show supplement from 1954 has some cool VW info.

But I don't know everything - I thought this post was about Dave Birchall (VW54)

Ebay ad says,

I've had several '54 models with the VW Motors Newstead badge. They were all CKD kits, with the MKA number in the spare tyre well. However the actual ID badge still says 'Made in Germany', I guess as they were only assembled in Australia.

To my knowledge apart from an early batch of '53/early '54 models imported whole, the only 'early-model' (pre '67) german assembled cars in Australia are private imports and karmanns - ghias and beetle cabriolets.

Angus

Yes the first VWs sold here were fully imported, but once CKD assembly started to ramp up in the second half of 1954, fully imported VWs were phased out. The CKD kits were made in Germany, hence the ID badge, even though they were assembled in Melbourne. It didn't take long for some Australian-made parts to be incorporated, such as batteries, tyres and glass, and local content gradually increased through the late 1950s. The first steel body panels were locally stamped in 1959.

VW Australia did have an 'overseas delivery scheme' for Australians travelling abroad, who might want to buy a car in Germany then ship it home. Thus there were a very few fully imported pre-68 German cars sold here after 1954, but only a tiny number. Yes the Ghia was always fully imported, but didn't go on sale until 1959 (and ended in 1969). The Beetle Cabrio was never sold here, apart from a handful of examples imported in 1961 for the Melbourne Motor Show.

VW Motors Newstead was the VW Distributors for the state of Queensland, as well as being the largest VW dealer in Brisbane. They were independently owned until 1969, when they were purchashed by LNC Industries and became a subsidiary of Volkswagen Australia Pty Ltd. The same thing happened to Western Motors in Perth, and Light Motors in Adelaide. Lanock Motors in Sydney were always owned by LNC Industries. In Victoria it was Regent Motors until the Clayton head office took over the operation and created 'Volkswagen Distribution Pty Ltd', which looked after Tasmania as well. This was bought by LNC Industries in 1968.

Martin and King was originally a railway workshop owned by Clyde Industries, and was contracted by Regent Motors to assemble the VW CKD kits in the early days. The firsrt 'Volkswagen Australia Pty Ltd' was created by Regent Motors in 1955. After Heinz Nordhoff visited Australia in 1957 and committed to a large expansion plan, a new company called Volkswagen Australasia Ltd was created, 51% German owned, and they purchased Martin and King outright, together with the Clayton property, from Clyde.

I have been talking to the ebay seller and they now realise it is not a full import.

I have invited them to check out AVD and advised to not be in too big of a hurry to sell to get the best price.


Regards,

Matt.

you buy this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/VW-1954-OVAL-WINDOW-BEETLE-in-VGC-driveaway-2day_W0QQi... before you before you buy that old rusty rat

Yes Ian,

He is unfamiliar with VW's and didn't know what he had and based his ebay ad on some quick internet searches.

He has withdrawn the ebay auction after learning a bit .

I have given him some advice to look here for someone to check out the rust for him and explained how much is available to revive a VW compared to other cars of the same age.

Might just reel him in to keeping it and catching "the disease".

Regards,

Matt.

Adam,

Don't give up, he may end up advertising it on here!



Regards,

Matt.

is a 55 as good as a 54?

depends wether its early 55 or late 55 as that when a lot of changes were made

the car listed is really a 53

Yeah CKD assembly means that these cars were a bit of mix of parts - crates of parts would arrive (12 crates held enough parts for 8 cars) in batches, shipped to Port Melbourne and then freighted to the Clayton plant by train. Then they had to be unpacked, organised and assembled. Not like in the USA, where all their cars were imported fully built up and finished from Germany.

Australian Beetles were upgraded to the 36-bhp SAE 1200 engine in March 1955. Read a more detailed history of VW in Australia at http://www.clubvw.org.au/Australian%20VW%20history.htm 

Quote:

Originally posted by polak Quote: Originally posted by Matt Ryan Yes Ian, He is unfamiliar with VW's and didn't know what he had and based his ebay ad on some quick internet searches. He has withdrawn the ebay auction after learning a bit . boooo! i was waiting to buy that car.... oh well... have to look for another one now

There was a BUY IT NOW for $10,000.00